Chapter 112: Still the Grain Transport

"Your Highness, then what exactly are you doing this for?"

On the carriage, Cao Huachun looked at Zhu Xu, still asking with a heart full of doubts.

Zhu Xu waved his fan and said, "Don't be anxious, you'll know before long."

Cao Huachun's expression was strange, but Cao Wenzhao in front suddenly turned his head and said, "Your Highness, Luo Sigong — shouldn't we go meet him?"

Zhu Xu pondered for a moment, then said, "Not yet. Wait until this grain transport matter is settled before we talk."

Zhu Xu had always been wary of Luo Sigong — not because he feared Luo would report something to Zhu Youxiao, but because of a strange, inexplicable dread in his heart; he was unwilling to face this spymaster directly.

Zhu Xu could not stay outside the palace for long, so Cao Wenzhao drove the carriage straight back to the palace.

The three got down from the carriage and walked into the imperial palace. Cao Wenzhao observed their surroundings, then leaned close and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, two groups of people in total are following us. One should be the Empress's people; the other should be Prince Xin's."

The fan in Zhu Xu's hand stopped abruptly. Empress Zhang — Zhu Xu could understand that. Ever since his last illness, Empress Zhang had kept extremely tight control over him, afraid he might take a single wrong step.

But Prince Xin — what reason had aroused his suspicion again?

"Could it be because of the last raid on the Six Ministries' storehouses?" Zhu Xu muttered to himself as he walked, lost in thought.

Ever since the imperial physician diagnosed that Empress Zhang might be unable to bear children, Zhu Xu had felt that the inertia of history remained very hard to change — perhaps the future Chongzhen Emperor would still arrive as scheduled. Thus Zhu Xu was especially vigilant toward Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian, yet he had never expected to draw his attention once again.

Zhu Xu thought for a long while, then said, "As for Brother Prince Xin — think of some way to handle it."

Cao Huachun understood, and bending low, said quietly, "Yes, Your Highness. This servant will arrange it at once. Any movement will be reported immediately."

Zhu Xu nodded, and the group hurried back to Jinghuan Palace under the sun.

Meanwhile, Shuntian Prefecture was in an uproar.

Prefect Shen Yan stood in the main hall, facing a square-faced, thick-browed, large-eyed middle-aged man. He was clearly one of those stiff-tempered scholars, glaring with furious, blazing eyes at Shen Yan, saying, "Prefect Shen, why has the court session still not opened? Is it that my son's life is worth less than that ** Xing's grandson's?"

Shen Yan gave a bitter smile and placated him, "Your Excellency, it is not that this subordinate deliberately delays. It is only that the case has just arisen; the constables have only just brought back the bodies, and the coroner has not even finished his examination. How can Your Excellency expect me to open the court session?"

Guan Yingzhen's expression grew even angrier, and he shouted, "Shen Yan, this official has no time for your nonsense. Either you open court today and try this clearly, or you come with me to see the Emperor. I want to see whether that ** Xing can cover the sky with one hand and butcher lives at will!"

"Who wants to butcher lives at will!"

Outside the door, an old man of seventy, his voice like stone, strode in.

Guan Yingzhen turned his head, saw him, and charged over in fury, roaring at the same time: "** Xing, you treacherous villain! If you have any grievance, come at me — why drag my son into it!"

Shen Yan was startled, hurried over, and grabbed Guan Yingzhen, saying, "Your Excellency Guan, calm down, calm down. Let's talk things out properly."

** Xing's expression appeared calm, but his eyes held boundless rage as he looked at Shen Yan and said, "Prefect Shen, my grandson has also been poisoned to death. Shouldn't you give this official an explanation?"

Though both were capital officials standing in the court ranks, ** Xing was Minister of the Ministry of Personnel — the teacher of all under heaven, lofty in position and heavy in power — not someone a Shuntian Prefecture prefect could compare with.

He stopped Guan Yingzhen, gave a bitter laugh, and cupped his fists, saying, "Your Excellency Zhao, it has been less than half an hour since the case arose. This subordinate does not yet know the full details either."

Guan Yingzhen shot a furious glare at ** Xing, then turned to look at Shen Yan and said in a deep voice, "You don't know? Then find someone who does. Does your Shuntian Prefecture only eat and never work?"

Shen Yan smiled even more bitterly. He could afford to offend neither of these two men, so he could only play the tai chi game, making excuse after excuse. Of course he was not entirely ignorant, but he could not speak out at this moment — otherwise this Shuntian Prefecture office would be torn apart.

In the Shuntian Prefecture prison, Zhao Han was alone interrogating the middle-aged man who had just surrendered himself.

He glanced at the large chest by his feet and frowned, saying, "You say your surname is Shen — a man of the Shen family of Huai'an Prefecture?"

The middle-aged man had already changed into prison clothes. He knelt on the ground, wearing shackles, and said in a calm yet firm voice, "That is correct. My name is Shen Aonan."

Zhao Han had earlier wondered why His Highness Prince Hui would go to so much trouble — it could not be merely to take revenge on ** Xing. Now he understood it all.

Huai'an Prefecture was where the Grain Transport Governor-General's yamen was located, and the Shen family and the Li family had been in-laws for generations. More importantly, the Shen family was the most powerful and strongest force in the north-south grain transport. It was said that the Shen family alone had nearly a hundred large and small vessels, not to mention those they could influence directly or indirectly.

Zhao Han understood in his heart, and got straight to the point: "Mm. His Highness ordered me to keep you alive. Rest assured — when the time comes, I will find a death-row convict to substitute for you."

Shen Aonan shook his head slightly and said, "I thank His Highness for his kindness, but I am determined to die. I beg you to grant my wish."

Zhao Han looked at him, thought for a moment, then picked up his brush and said, "Then first tell me in detail what happened and why you poisoned those two men."

Shen Aonan had long since prepared all his words, and began at once: "I am a native of Huai'an Prefecture. After my father divided the family property, the Shen family made its living running grain transport…"

Zhao Han wrote as he silently shook his head. It was all a stale script played out countless times — a destitute branch of a family envying a wealthy one, colluding with outsiders to seize the family property, with robbery of wives and daughters, murder, and arson thrown in along the way.

And this Shen Aonan was the protagonist of the tale — only his lot was rather more miserable. He had lost most of the family property, his wife, and his children, and had lived under an assumed name for years, all for the sake of revenge.

Shen Aonan talked until his mouth was parched, and finally, looking at the chest by Zhao Han's feet, said, "Inside the chest are the account books I collected of Shen Aodong's dealings with the Zhao family, the Guan family, and the Li family, along with testimonies from the various docks, shopkeepers, and crewmen — enough to sentence Shen Aodong to death."

Zhao Han nodded slightly. This Shen Aonan must truly be consumed by hatred, or he would not have spent such effort gathering evidence. But had Prince Hui not become involved, even this would likely not have been enough to topple Shen Aodong, who had connections with both the Zhao and Guan families.

Zhao Han finished writing, had Shen Aonan sign and fingerprint it, and said, "Alright. From now on you stay here and wait for the court session. What to say and what not to say — I don't need to teach you, do I?"

Shen Aonan had already thrown caution to the wind. He nodded and said, "Rest assured, Your Excellency. I know what I'm doing."

Zhao Han gave him another look, then took the testimony and turned to walk out.

In the main hall, Guan Yingzhen was still seething with anger, staring at Shen Yan and saying, "Prefect Shen, how long exactly do you intend to stall? If your Shuntian Prefecture cannot try this case, then let us take the lawsuit before the Emperor!"

** Xing sat to one side, his bearing majestic, his expression indifferent.

As for that grandson of his, he knew something of him — a troublemaking, worthless wretch. He had not cared much about him, but he had never expected that this time the boy would poison to death the son of Guan Yingzhen, the leader of the Chu faction — and that the eyewitness would be his own Donglin junior, Qian Qianyi!

None of this concerned him. The Chu faction was already gasping its last under his blows. But from all this, he smelled something a little different.